IMPHAL, May 14: Residents of Chingkham Kabui village under Thoubal district and members of Yaishkul to Lilong Chajing Apunba Eenat Loi Lup have today urged the concerned department to look into the matter of expanding a village pond in the locality.Villagers of the Chingkham Kabui village have claimed that the pond has been used by the villagers inhabiting the area as their main source of portable water.Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of Ekau Katpa (traditional offering to Chingkham Ningthou) during the Chingkham Ningthou Harauba today, Gaipuilan Kamson, an elder of Chingkham Kabui village stated that due to the pond remaining dried up for the past many years other than during the monsoon season, the villagers had decided to expand the pond.However he added that the Muslim villagers of the nearby area have stood against the decision citing that the new alignment for the expansion of the pond will touch their village land. He further informed that the alignment for the expansion of the pond has been there since time immemorial; however the Muslim villagers recently filed a petition to the SDO Lilong who has ordered against the expansion of the pond.Sachi, secy publicity, Yaishkul to Lilong Chajing Apunba Eenat Loi Lup has declared the order passed by Lilong SDO, Kimjalei Kipgen against the expansion of the pond as unreasonable and should be taken back at the earliest possible. He further appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter at the earliest possible so as to stop any untoward incident happening between the inhabitants of the nearby village.
